Projecting a more sustainable tomorrow and addressing the challenges of today. It is with that proposition in mind that the Odebrecht Foundation publishes its Performance Report 2017 – On the Path to Sustainability, which presents the results of yet another cycle of lessons and accomplishments.
The report aims to underpin the institution’s commitment to transparency by providing an account to shareholders, the government, partners, investors, team members, civil society and beneficiaries. Available in digital format in Portuguese, English and Spanish versions, the Report presents the performance indicators for 2017 of the Program for Development and Growth Integrated with Sustainability (PDCIS), which is coordinated by the Odebrecht Foundation.
The purpose of the PDCIS is to promote social, economic and environmental transformations in the living conditions of residents in the Lowlands of Southern Bahia. “Our activities in this region, which is marked by low Human Development Indexes and a wealth of natural resources, with a predominance of the Atlantic Forest biome, seek to build a society with less inequality and greater environmental balance”, said Fabio Wanderley, superintendent of the Odebrecht Foundation.
Indicators
To achieve this goal and transform the reality of the Lowlands of Southern Bahia, R$12.7 million was raised last year from partners and investors. One of the highlights was the engagement of more than 4,800 donors in the campaign Tribute to the Future, an Odebrecht Foundation initiative that raised R$2.2 million for the Children and Adolescent Funds of the cities benefited.
Also last year, the number of direct beneficiaries reached 12,000 in 370 communities. “Not only did we achieve important results, but we also offered to the region’s youth more than 300 openings in the high school program to promote Education for Sustainable Development. Many of these students were placed in socio-productive chains and supported by incentives for implementing agricultural projects”, said Cristiane Nascimento, Head of the PDCIS.
Nearly 354 seminars and lectures were organized by students in their communities to disseminate knowledge and the new technologies they learned in the educational institutions, which effectively expands the reach of the activities and encourages good agricultural practices in the Lowlands of Southern Bahia. The farmers benefited have boosted their yields thanks to the technical support and exposure to new agroecological techniques, which incorporated various benefits into their production processes. In 2017, support was provided to 311 cooperative members, who reached average monthly income of R$2,330.00 and received support for fairer commercial practices, effectively mitigating the actions of intermediaries.
Also, 80 degraded headwaters were identified, which enabled restoration works to begin during the year. Since 2012, more than 205 headwaters have been recovered and/or conserved, and 212,000 saplings of tree species native to the Atlantic Forest were replanted. “More than an account of the results for the year, the Performance Report represents to the Odebrecht Foundation the certainty that Sustainable Development is possible when we support education and foster economic development in harmony with environmental conservation”, reinforced Fabio Wanderley.
